GENERAL CABLES.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue XX, 14 November 1903, Page 22

GENERAL CABLES.

DEAR GAME. A sheriff’s posse at South Dakota killed 16 Sioux Indians and captured 12 for infringing the game laws. THE BALKAN RISING. The famous Macedonian leader, Sarafoff, is alive. The report of his death was due to the fact that he threw his cloak over- a dead insurgent chief. BOWIE'S CRUSADE. The American press declares that Dowie’s crusade resulted in only 79 converts. Most of the Zionists have returned home. ■' MISS HICKMAN. The inquest on Miss Hickman, the lady doctor whose disappearance created such a sensation recently, revealed morphine in the viscera. JEWS IN RUSSIA. Lord Rothschild has acquired extensive petroleum fields in the Caucasus, but the Court has upheld the rival bidders’ contention that Jews are unable to acquire property, and that the sale is therefore cancelled.

SUICIDE MANIA. Three wealthy San Francisco ladies, who were members of the well known Suicide Club, which has already been the occasion of several women seeking their own destruction, have committed suicide. MR O'BRIEN REVOLTS. Mr William O’Brien, M.P., in a letter announces that owing to the “Freeman’s Journal” sowing discord in connection with the land policy he resigns his seat in Parliament, quits the Irish League directorate, and discontinues the publication of the "Irish People.” NEW BRITISH WAR VESSELS. The Admiralty has ordered three 22 i knot cruisers. Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth and Company, the Fairfield Shipbuilding Company, and Messrs. Vickers. Son and Maxim, are building one each. Four 25 knot scouts are also ordered. Orders will also shortly be placed for three 18,000 ton battleships. THE PENALTY OF BEING RICH. The persons who kidnapped Mr. Wentz, the well-known American millionaire, have put themselves in communication with his friends. In the course of a letter they state that they will be pleased to surrender the person of the millionaire on receipt of a sum of £2OOO. CANCER. A meeting of doctors has been held at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital to consider the discovery of Dr. Otto Schmidt, of Cologne, who claims that he has isolated the parasite of cancer, and cultivated a serum killing the cancer cells. The treatment, which is believed in its result to show a complete absence of cancer, created much interest. PRINCESS RADZIWILL AGAIN. The Princess Radziwill, who was recently released at Capetown after undergoing a sentence for fraud and forgery, is now suing the trustees of the late Mr. Cecil Rhodes for £1,400,000, basing her claim on Mr. Rhodes’ alleged agreement with her dated June, 1899, and on certain notes of hand. She declares that the proceedings at Capetown resulted in a miscarriage of justice, which was due to the fact that South Africa was then under martial law. SANATORIUM FOR CONSUMPTIVES. Among the Sanatoria for Consumptives which have been, or are to be, built as an outcome of the meetings of the committee over which the King presided when he was Prince of Wales, is that to be erected near the market town of Midhurst, twelve miles from Chichester. The King laid the foundation-stone of the magnificent building, which will be erected at a cost of £60,000 on a site covering 150 acres. MILITARY REFORM The newspapers warmly approve the appointment of Lord Esher, Admiral Fisher and Sir G. S. Clarke, Governor of

Victoria, on the committee to reorganise the national de fences. They spceiallv commend Sir G. S. Clarke’s selection. The "Daily Telegraph” says there is a singular fitness in Sir G. S. Clarke’s selection. He originated the term Imperial defence and largely the ideal underlying THE ALASKAN BOUNDARY. Mr. Alan Aylesworth, one of the Canadian representatives on the Alaska Boundary Commission, speaking at a banquet at Toronto, delivered a conciliatory speech. He eulogised Lord Alverstone and the other Commissioners. and said Canada must bear the award graciously and submissively. He said that even if she childishly resented what she considered an injustice the ties binding Canada and the Motherland were able to stand the strain of n: ■ v Alaskan awards. THE FAR EAST. An affray took place at Chemulpo between Russian and Japanese bluejackets, a number being injured. The Chinese Court is much alarmed at the reocfltipation of Mukden by Russia. and has conferred with Yuaushihkai and Cuanchitung. It is believed they advised China to join Japan in opposing Russian aggression. Russia is sending to the Far East 1500 seamen, 2000 naval reservists, and 50 picked gunners immediately; also five battleships as soon as the Baltic is open to navigation. Prince AJexieff intends to stop the Chinese entering Eastern Siberia and Manchuria, excepting workers for the railways, and imposes a poll of ten pounds per head upon Chinese merchants. REVOLUTION AT PANAMA. The American cruiser Marblehead, the gunboat Coneord. and the defence vessels Wyoming and Nero are hastening to Panama. Admiral Glass commands the naval forces at Panama and Admirl Coghlan at Colon. The American policy will be to prompt the Panama Republic to prevent attempts to land Colombian troops. Colombia at first protested to the United States against the encouragement of insurrection or the recognition of the Provisional Government. President Roosevelt earnestly recommends the Governments of Colombia and Panama to promote a peaceful settlement, adding that the United States is bound by treaty and in the interests of civilisation to see that the peaceful traffic of the isthmus is not disturbed by a constant succession of unnecessary and wasteful civil wars. THE FISCAL QUESTION. Sir Charles Dilke, speaking at Kermanton, said that if preference were given to food products taxation must be far higher than that which Mr Chamberlain had suggested, necessitating a separate bargain with each colany And requiring constant alteration and involving much friction. Though the proposal was disguised, it really amounted to the subordination of Home interests to the material interests of New Zealand alone, and the supposed but not real interests of Australia. The Hon. R. P. Roblin, Premier of Manitoba, strongly favours Mr Chamberlain’s scheme. He states that to make loyal Canadians it is necessary to obtain preference for cereals and agricultural products in the British markets. The “Standard,” in a leading article, states that it hopes that Mr. Chamberlain’s next speech will be augmenta-

thely confined to criticism, and that ha will not indulge in rhetorical and emotional appeals. Hi? declaration at the Colonial Premiers* Conference had been effectually answered by Mr. Deakia'a suggestion for keeping up a protective wall against the British uianufacturer while raising it a little higher against the foreigner. Professor Bowley. in a letter to the ‘’Times,” asserts that the wages of agricultural builders’ labourers had risen 10 per cent, in the decade, and were now much the same as those of skilled artisans. PREFERENTIAL TRADE. At a meeting of the council of the Central Associated Chambers of Agriculture in London, Mr. Rider Haggard moved that the time had come for a reform of the fiscal system. He said Mr. Chamberlain’s proposals would incidentally benefit agriculture, but retaliation alone would be ruinous. Better uo change than that. Sir Edward Strachey, M.P., moved an amendment urging further inquiry. This was defeated by a large majority, and the debate was adjourned till December. The Leeds Chamber of Commerce, by 76 to 65, advocated a modification of British fiscal policy. Mr. Marcus Dorment, in a letter to the “Times,” says that the census reveals that the numbers of employed in the nine important industries have decreased by 314,680 in 20 years, principally in agriculture, and the silk, nails, and tin-plate trades. The rate of progress of the others has variously declined in the last decade as compared with the previous one. Lord Beauchamp, speaking at Hale»» owen, Worcestershire, said that what was needed was a little more energy on the part of manufacturers and a greater readiness to throw obsolete machinery on the scrap heap. Above all the nation needed the best possible education. The Board of Trade at St. John’s, Newfoundland, warmly supports Mr Chamberlain’s preference as an act of far-seeing and courageous statesmanship. The “Daily Express” states that 100,000 tons of “dumped’’ American steel bars have been bought recently at Swansea, Newport, and Llanely at £4 a ton. An appeal signed by the Duke of Sutherland and Mr Chamberlain, asks for subscriptions for the Tariff Reform League. Twenty have already subscribed £ 1000, and other subscriptions range from £ 1 to £ 500. Sir Michael Hieks-Beaeh gave an address to 1000 Manchester commercial men. He did not deal with retaliation except to say that he approved of the Sugar Convention. Referring to Mr Balfour’s practical proposals, he said that if any great industry was attacked by illegitimate competitions like sugar producing and refining, it behoved the Government and Parliament to interfere. Mr Chamberlain had raised wider and larger issues by his policy, and absolutely reversed that of Mr Gladstone in 1860, whieh increased prosperity by removing hindrances to industry. Mr Chamberlain proposed td remove the tax on tea and sugar which Mr Gladstone declined to do, and impose fresh duties on a hundred articles. The welfare of the country had undoubtedly increased under Mr Gladstone’s policy, and the condition of the workers had enormously improved, but this was not at all due to free imports.